Placeholder Image Generator - Custom Dummy Images Online
Create custom placeholder images with text, colors, and any dimensions. Export as PNG, SVG, or WebP for web design mockups and prototyping.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Placeholder Image Generator?
A placeholder image generator is an online tool that creates temporary images with custom dimensions, colors, and text for use in web development, UI design, and prototyping. Instead of using actual photographs or graphics during the early stages of development, placeholder images serve as visual stand-ins that indicate where real content will eventually appear. They typically display their dimensions (e.g., "300 × 200") so developers can easily identify image sizes in a layout.
How do I use this tool?
1. Set your desired image dimensions using the width and height inputs, or select from common presets (Social Media, Web, Screen Sizes, Ad Sizes). 2. Choose a background color and text color using the color pickers or by entering HEX values. 3. Optionally enter custom text (leave empty to display dimensions automatically). 4. Adjust font size (or keep it on "Auto" for automatic sizing). 5. Preview your placeholder image in real-time on the canvas. 6. Select your export format (PNG, JPEG, SVG, or WebP) and download the file, or copy as a data URI / HTML tag / CSS background.
Is my data safe? Does anything get sent to a server?
Your data is 100% safe and never leaves your browser. Unlike URL-based placeholder services (such as placehold.co or placeholder.com) that generate images on their servers, this tool uses the HTML5 Canvas API to render images entirely client-side. No image data, dimensions, text, or colors are transmitted to any server. The tool works completely offline after the page loads.
What is the difference between PNG, JPEG, SVG, and WebP formats?
PNG is best for placeholder images because it offers lossless compression with sharp text and clean edges. It supports transparency. JPEG produces smaller file sizes but uses lossy compression, which can cause artifacts around text. Best when file size matters more than text sharpness. SVG generates a vector image that is infinitely scalable with the smallest file size (~0.5 KB regardless of dimensions). Ideal for responsive designs. WebP offers better compression than both PNG and JPEG while maintaining good quality. Supported in all modern browsers.
What is a Data URI and why would I use one?
A Data URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) is a way to embed image data directly into HTML or CSS as a base64-encoded string, rather than linking to an external file. For example: <img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBOR...">. This is useful for prototyping because it eliminates the need for separate image files, works without a server, and can be pasted directly into CodePen, JSFiddle, or inline HTML. The trade-off is that data URIs increase HTML file size and are not cached separately by browsers.
Why should I use this instead of placehold.co or placeholder.com?
While URL-based services like placehold.co are convenient, they require an active internet connection and depend on an external server being available. This tool generates images locally in your browser, which means: (1) it works offline, (2) there is no dependency on a third-party service, (3) images are generated instantly without network latency, (4) no usage limits or rate limiting, and (5) your design dimensions are not sent to external servers. It is ideal for corporate environments where external service usage may be restricted.
Can I generate high-resolution (Retina) placeholder images?
Yes. Enable the "Retina (2x)" toggle in the export settings. This renders the image at twice the specified dimensions internally (e.g., a 300×200 placeholder becomes 600×400 pixels) while the visual content remains at the original dimensions. This ensures crisp rendering on high-DPI displays like Apple Retina screens.
Code Examples
// Placeholder Image Generator
function generatePlaceholder({ width = 300, height = 200, bgColor = '#CCCCCC', textColor = '#969696', text = '' } = {}) {
const canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
canvas.width = width;
canvas.height = height;
const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
// Draw background
ctx.fillStyle = bgColor;
ctx.fillRect(0, 0, width, height);
// Draw centered text
const displayText = text || `${width} × ${height}`;
const fontSize = Math.max(12, Math.min(width * 0.8 / (displayText.length * 0.6), height * 0.4, 200));
ctx.fillStyle = textColor;
ctx.font = `${fontSize}px Arial`;
ctx.textAlign = 'center';
ctx.textBaseline = 'middle';
ctx.fillText(displayText, width / 2, height / 2);
return canvas;
}
// Download as PNG
const canvas = generatePlaceholder({ width: 800, height: 600, text: 'Hero Image' });
canvas.toBlob(blob => {
const a = document.createElement('a');
a.href = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
a.download = 'placeholder-800x600.png';
a.click();
}, 'image/png');
// Get as data URI
console.log(canvas.toDataURL('image/png'));